I was looking over my trailer and I noticed that the little cable that you loop through the chains is broken. I think it's the cable that's supposed to break if your trailer unhitches from your truck and it turns the trailer brakes on? It looks like it was either melted or cut from a weedwhacker or something. It was intact when I last used the trailer.

Anyway, I need to use my trailer this weekend. Does anyone know how I can replace this? Preferably in a do it yourself fashion with stuff from Lowe's or Home Depot. I will not have easy access to a trailer repair shop due to time constraints (yay for school and stuff).

Phly

12-02-2012 10:00 PM

That's what's called a "breakaway". And yes it set the trailer brakes in case of a unhitching. Some states they are mandatory other not. I'm gonna put my neck out here, if you don't know what it really is/ or how it works, chances are the battery that is mounted on the trailer is probly junk anyways. That lil battery is what sets up the brakes. Dead battery= no breakaway brakes. Soooooo if that's true, pulling with the wire worn thru is no more dangerous. I'll also asume that your safety chains drag. Hence the reason then breakaway wire is worn in two. Get the chains off the highway and replace the battery. After you fix the breakaway. Just my experiences talking.Posted via Mobile Device

gunslinger

12-02-2012 10:07 PM

You can buy steel cable at Lowe's or Home depot. get at least two compression fittings, which are fittings that both ends of the cable fits in and is then squeezed.

Get a sales associate and tell him you need the thing to join the cables.

I usually don't squeeze the fitting but hit it with a hammer and smash them.

Come to think of it you might just get the fitting and rejoin the broken cable.

Go to lowes.com and search for steel cable.

This fix will probably cost you more in gas to get there than the stuff you need to fix it.

DancingArabian

12-02-2012 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phly
(Post 1782308)

That's what's called a "breakaway". And yes it set the trailer brakes in case of a unhitching. Some states they are mandatory other not. I'm gonna put my neck out here, if you don't know what it really is/ or how it works, chances are the battery that is mounted on the trailer is probly junk anyways. That lil battery is what sets up the brakes. Dead battery= no breakaway brakes. Soooooo if that's true, pulling with the wire worn thru is no more dangerous. I'll also asume that your safety chains drag. Hence the reason then breakaway wire is worn in two. Get the chains off the highway and replace the battery. After you fix the breakaway. Just my experiences talking.Posted via Mobile Device

I wasn't for certain :) I'm new to trailer lingo. For all I know, maybe the battery does more than just work the brakes. I am confident that the battery works as it has a test button which I check before every haul, and it passed state safety inspection not long ago.

My safety chains do not drag. I was always taught to NOT allow them to drag so I make sure that they don't. However, I did mention in my post that the tie was INTACT when I last parked the trailer, so it broke between the last time I parked it and now. It looks melted through, though I can't imagine what could have melted through the cable, so maybe while the farmhands were weedwhacking, they clipped it.

I know my post came off as a little ignorant sounding, but give me SOME credit :)

Thank you for your concern, now....I need to replace the breakaway and don't know what I can get or from where to do so. A "trailer repair shop" is not an option available to me (they close before I can get there).

Phly

12-02-2012 10:18 PM

Sorry if I came off harsh. It's just soooo common. On actuallly fixing it, overhead doors use the same wire rope. Anything to reattach it will work. Also you could replace it with baling twine to get by.Posted via Mobile Device

DancingArabian

12-02-2012 10:36 PM

So just a regular bit of plastic thin cabling and some clips will work? Super! I love things that are easy.

I find that when I don't know something, it's easier to call something a "thingy" or a"whatsit" because if I use the wrong term inadvertently, I end up sent down the wrong path! Seems easier to come off a little ignorant than to come off too informed, you know?

Thank you for the help!

Phly

12-02-2012 11:04 PM

Anything that's strong enough to pull the clip off the breakaway will be fine. :)Posted via Mobile Device

gunslinger

12-03-2012 08:12 AM

I doesn't have to be lowes.....stop by any hardware store.....

This isn't a tough fix and won't cost much.

Joe4d

12-03-2012 12:18 PM

cable and the crimper tool and a couple crimps, might find it in a kit in a saltwater fishing section. Parachute cord will work for a couple days till you can get to the store.

waresbear

12-03-2012 09:20 PM

If you left the pin attached to the break away controller, your battery that powers that is dead. When the pin is in, the battery is on, so when you disconnect from the towing vehicle, keep the pin out. In order to find out what is functioning properly on a trailer that is going on public roads hauling large animals, take it to an RV service center. You are risking safety by not doing so, reason why I love living in my area, they routinely have roadblocks checking trailers & RV's, from what I have read on here, the states seems to be lacking.Posted via Mobile Device